Palatinate SciTech

06/02/2024

We're looking for a new SciTech editor! No experience required, all training given, a great opportunity! Feel free to dm with any questions!

07/12/2022

Please consider applying if you’re interested!

Interested in joining Palatinate's Editorial Board?

The following vacancies are now available until Wednesday 14th December at 11:59pm!

Apply here: https://www.palatinate.org.uk/vacancies/

We look forward to hearing from you

13/09/2022

If you could name a celestial body anything, what would you name it? ⭐

An extract from our interview with world-renowned cosmologist Prof Carlos Frenk. This question was submitted by an Instagram follower - be sure to follow us there: .scitech

[Transcript]

Question: If you could name a celestial body anything, what would you name it?
Answer: You mean like a comet? Yeah, yeah, well, I'll tell you what - I hope your readers don't find this a bit quirky - but I would name it after my wife, Susan. Because, you know, I've been very lucky in in science. You know, as you can tell by my accent: I'm not a Geordie, and I came here to be a student in the 1970s, but this country has treated me extremely well. It's given me everything I needed to do research, but none of what the little I’ve achieved in life would have been possible without her.
So, I mean, she has a career or her own anyway, she's the principal of St Aiden’s College, as it happens, but I think for us, I can say that none of what little I’ve achieved would have been possible without her.
Unfortunately, it is not symmetrical, she would have achieved what she did - and possibly more - without me, but anyway. So, I would name any celestial body after Susan Frenk – I would call it comet Susan.

31/05/2022

Isobel Jones explores the real reason why fewer girls study physics, in light of recent comments from the Chair of the Social Mobility Commission that girls are put off physics by the “hard maths”.

Isobel Jones explores this question in light of recent comments from the Chair of the Social Mobility Commission that girls are put off physics by the "hard maths".

11/03/2020

SciTech has been nominated (again!) for Best Science Section at the Student Publication Awards! Thank you to all of our contributors for the excellent articles this year!

“Shortlisted: ”

11/12/2019

Dr Charlotte Adams, of the Durham Energy Institute and Department of Earth Sciences, was this week awarded one of the prestigious “Energy Institute Energy Champion” awards. Annalise Murray explains the outstanding work that earned Dr Adams the prize, with some beautiful remarks on how it relates to Durham's past and future:

By Annalise Murray Dr Charlotte Adams, of the Durham Energy Institute and Department of Earth Sciences, was this week awarded one of the prestigious “Energy Institute Energy Champion” awards. The awards are designed to recognise accomplishments by individuals or projects in the energy sector; Dr...

10/12/2019

Can a spider toxin produced by a genetically modified fungus help wipe out malaria? Hannah Goldswain (SciTech Editor) explains:

Researchers found that a genetically enhanced fungus can wipe out up to 99% of mosquitoes

09/12/2019

"Why do we like scary films so much?". Elise Garcon takes us through the fear-inducing science of horror:

Why do we like scary films so much? Fear is an evolutionary survival mechanism meant to stimulate us to recognise danger

08/12/2019

"A team of researchers from Durham have contributed to the construction of a cutting-edge telescope to be used for the creation of the most detailed 3D map of the universe to date". Ewan Jones (SciTech Editor) looks into how Durham has contributed to this incredible project, and what the future of DESI looks like:

By Ewan Jones A team of researchers from Durham have contributed to the construction of a cutting-edge telescope to be used for the creation of the most detailed 3D map of the universe to date. Featuring 5,000 fibre-optic ‘eyes’, the “Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument” (DESI) will be able...

08/12/2019

"Have you ever wondered whether your phone listens to you? If it did, what would that mean?". Toby Donegan-Cross looks into "The People Vs Tech: How the internet is killing democracy (and how we save it)", writer Jamie Bartlett’s 2018 treatise on what the digital age means for democracy (featuring an interview with Jamie himself!):

By Toby Donegan-Cross Have you ever wondered whether your phone listens to you? If it did, what would that mean? Its grasp on how to manipulate you for profit would be unthinkably draining on your pocket. Whoever it is listening: unknown, unaccountable, untraceable. Perhaps more frightening would be...

07/12/2019

A Durham professor, Badyal is "considered a leader in the field of surface science" - Hannah Goldswain (SciTech Editor) looks into his well deserved achievement in this article:

Professor Jas Pal Badyal receives honours from India

07/12/2019

"In Vienna, October 2019, Eliud Kipchoge did the unthinkable. He broke the two-hour marathon barrier with a time of 1:59:40 for the 42.195km". Hannah Goldswain (SciTech Editor) explains the massive effort that went in to achieving this seemingly impossible achievement:

In Vienna, October 2019, Eliud Kipchoge did the unthinkable. He broke the two-hour marathon barrier with a time of 1:59:40 for the 42.195km.